The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-03-18


ing d0En stream Was this the Mcrrinlac!
The little feet came steaming down the river
and out into the rsals. Quickly the MinRe-
sofa and the Roanoke made ready to nseat
the newcomers. The queer craft was the
Meriimssc atlast The Roanoks had a broken
shaft. fshe had On be towed out into tine
winter by tugs.
Ii does not take long 10 tell the story of
whit followed. The Minnesota grounded
out ef range of the Virginia, and could not
be got of It was ebb tide. Presently the
Roanoke grounded at the stern. The United
States navy was no. worth much more then
than it is now.
The Congress and Cumberland were an
chored nearest to the coming monitor as she
steamed out of Elizabeth river
. There was some exchange of shots as the
Merrimac came booming on. One shot from
her disabled several gupners ON the Cumber-
land. The Cumberland was swung broadside
across the channel The MerriIBac went ut
her straight as all arrow and rammed her
iron bealI into the Cumberland's side. A
great opening was made and water poured in
n torrent into the Cumberland. Then the
Merrimac opened fire. Every shot hit the
mark, and the decks of the wooden ship were
soon covered with dead and injured. In
three-quarters of an hour the mortally hurt
ship went down in fifty-four feet of water,
carrying dead. dying and wounded with her
Some were picked up in boats from the shore
and a few swan to land. The Cum
berlands topmast showed above wa
ter, with her flag still flying 1t was
the turn of the Congress next. The
two companion glinboats of the Merrimac
had attacked her. Seeing the fate of the
Cumberland. Lieut.. Pendergast, commander
of the Congress, ran her aground by means
of tugs, i'm order to prevent the Merrimac
from sinking her. The Merrimac, after sink
ing the Cumberland began pouring shot into
the Congress. The aim of the Confederates
was marvelously accurate. The firing from
the Congress had no effect on tho Merrimac's
sloping iron Sides
At 4:30 Lieut.. Pendergast, seeing all was
over, hauled down the stars and stripes, and
ran up white flag in token of surrender.
The Coufederates sent tug to take formal
possession.
But the Congress was under shelter Of the
Union batteries at Newport News, and they
opened fire and drove the tug off, 1t is said
they did not see the white flag. Then the
Merrimac poured red hot shot into the poor
old ship again. Presently she left her and
bore down upon the Minnesota
In this interval, the crew of the Congress,
what there were left of them, escaped to
shore in the boats. Next morning, of the 434
brave men and true who had composed her
crew, only half answered to their names at
roll call. The rest were killed, wounded and
missing.
There had como into Hampton Roads ON
Friday March @, the naval ship st. Law
renee, saier. Seeing how the battle was go
ing, she had herself towed toward the
grounded Minnesota, and presently she her.
self grounded Together the two helpless
vessels waited the onslaught of the iron
beaked monster. There seems to have
been inexplicable ignorance of the channels
on the part Of the Federal pilots. The Roa.
noke, the Minnesota and the st. Lawrence
all ran aground
The st. Lawrence fired broadside at the
MeTimac, which did not the slightest harm.
The Merrimac fired one single she'll at the st.
Lawrence. 1t went through the wooden ship
like bolt of lightning. Then the st. Law
renee. hors du combat stole Off like a
whipped animal up toward Fortress Monroe
1t was getting dark The ram and her at
tendant gunboats drew off from the fight and
steamed to Sewell's point, where they
anchored. The hot shot the ram had thrown
last into the Congress had been for the pur-
pose of setting fire to her. This object was
accomplished. The battered ship burned to
the waters edge. About midnight the fires
reached her powder magazine, when she
blew up with a tremendous roar, and that
was the end of the Congress.
"Harper's Pictorial History says of the Mer-
rimac: mo vessel that ever floated had ever
done so great a work in single half day